Zoos SA
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Eating like a Zambian DAY 3

A huge part of Zambian culture that was so different to Australian was the staple food – Nshima. Made of ground maize called mielie meal, it is mixed with water over coals and served piping hot alongside “relishes” made of beans, greens or sometimes delicacies like potato or meat. While we quickly adapted to the salty flavours of the food (it was usually pretty yummy!), it was harder to cope with the method of eating – with our right hand! No cutlery or napkins, just the burning hot nshima and beans on the palm of your hand.

First you scoop a small tablespoon sized ball of nshima into your hand and roll it until it is nice and smooth. Then you press the ball so it makes a small indent and scoop up, using your thumb, some beans or whatever relish we were having that day. At first it was hard not to use both hands, especially when you could feel the skin melting off your hand, but it soon came to us naturally.

We got asked almost every single day what Australia’s staple food was, and even after three weeks we couldn’t come up with a definitive answer. Some said meat pies, others said pasta or bread, but the general consensus was that we did not have a staple food much to the shock of the Zambians. I hadn’t really considered this a cultural difference before going to Zambia, but now back in Australia I notice it more than ever!

Celia (MATZ Member)

About Zoos SA

Zoos SA is a not-for-profit conservation charity that exists to connect people with nature and save species from extinction. Zoos SA acknowledges the Country on which we stand always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land and we pay our deepest respect and gratitude to Kaurna (Adelaide Zoo) and Ngarrindjeri (Monarto Safari Park) Elders, past, present and emerging. We undertake critical conservation work throughout Australia and acknowledge the traditional custodians of these lands.

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